


Class Couple

by followyourenergy



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Best Friends, Friends to Lovers, High School, M/M, POV Castiel, Secret Crush
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-07
Updated: 2018-06-07
Packaged: 2019-05-19 09:47:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,420
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14871441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/followyourenergy/pseuds/followyourenergy
Summary: When Dean and Cas are nominated for Class Couple, he becomes determined to win and drags Cas along. All of Dean’s campaigning for the title doesn’t help Cas’ secret crush on his best friend, and he doesn’t understand: Why does Dean want this so badly when they aren’t even a couple?





	Class Couple

**Author's Note:**

  * For [blackwjngs](https://archiveofourown.org/users/blackwjngs/gifts).



> For blackwjngs — what better gift could I give you than a world in which Dean and Cas get together? ;)

“We could have stickers made, or… pencils! With our names! And oh, we could have our photos done in cheesy poses — like prom photos, where I’m behind you with my hands on your hips, or one at the beach when we’re gazing into each other’s eyes. Huh? What? Don’t give me that look!”

“That look” is one that Dean should be used to. It’s the look that says he thinks Dean is being dumb, even if he also thinks he’s being totally cute. Which he would not tell him. Ever.

“Cas! Come on! We have to campaign!”

“Dean, not everything has to be a competition. And we’re not running for President.”

“This _is_ a competition, Cas! And this is more important than running for President.”

“Clearly.”

“Caaaas!”

Cas gives up on his Latin project. “I don’t even understand how we got nominated for class couple. We’re not boyfriends.”

“Because we’re awesome, that’s why,” his best friend says with conviction. “And we can win. Did you see who else is nominated? Garth and Bess, who are too new in my opinion. Lisa and Matt, who are on the edge of breaking up again and everyone knows it. And Zach and Abbie, which, eww, they’re just creepy.”

“But at least they’re all actual couples.”

Dean pauses, giving Cas an uncertain look before he says, “Doesn’t matter. We have history, and we have chemistry.”

“Chemistry?”

“Sure. We get along well. Plus we’re adorable.” Dean presses his finger into one of his dimples, and Cas shakes his head in amusement. “Plus we were nominated, so at least someone thinks we can win. Besides, it says ‘couple,’ which just means two people.”

Cas rolls his eyes. “You know what they mean.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. Listen, I say we prove to everyone that we can win. We can break barriers.”

“You and your causes,” Cas chuckles, though he can’t really tease him. He has his causes, too. 

“So are you in? Come on, I can’t do this without you! I’ll even do most of the work.”

Taking in Dean’s boyish smile and hopeful eyes, Cas relents. “Fine. But no pencils. That’s stupid.”

“Fine. But stickers, right?”

Cas laughs. “Whatever you want, Dean. You lead, I’ll follow.”

And indeed, he would follow Dean just about anywhere and do just about anything. The boy has been his best friend since Algebra I freshman year. They bonded over quadratic equations and stayed friends long after. They’re rarely seen apart — baseball, soccer, art club, and archery club all have the “dynamic duo” (or “twin terrors,” depending on your point of view) in their ranks. Even when they’re doing separate activities, one can be seen supporting the other, like when Cas sits on his ass in the bleachers for hours just to watch Dean cheer in a three minute routine or when he hears Dean scream his name at debate competitions, even though they’re not really events where loud, vigorous encouragement is the norm. They’ve saved each other’s asses more than once, covering for each other to teachers or parents. Cas even saved Dean’s ass for real once, when Cas performed the Heimlich maneuver after a teammate knocked him over playfully at a team dinner and he choked on the burger he was eating. Cas has never been so scared as when Dean’s terrified eyes met his own, nor as relieved as when Dean breathed his name and embraced him. So yes, he would do just about anything and follow just about anywhere, and he knows Dean would do the same. He just hopes this whole “couple” thing doesn’t break the firm yet always-fragile grip he has on his massive crush on him.

Cas is a regular fixture at the Winchester household, not even needing to knock anymore. He waves to Mrs. Winchester as he passes to climb the familiar oak stairs to Dean’s room. “What the hell?” he says when he sees the bright poster board, markers, and… glitter?

Dean is sprawled on the floor, a bright blue gel pen in his hand. He’s adding detail to Cas’ eyes. “Hey,” he grins as he looks up. “Whaddaya think?”

Dean has made several posters, with statements such as “Cas + Dean = Class Couple 2018” and “Dean and Cas: Together Since 2014” and “Dean and Cas Kick Ass.” “I don’t think the school will allow that one,” Cas says.

“Yeah, you’re probably right. Sit,” Dean insists as he pulls Cas down to the floor. The warmth of his hand on Cas’ wrist seems to seep through his entire body. Or maybe that’s just the heat of his giddiness at being touched with so much familiarity that it feels intimate.

Cas clears his throat and holds up a bag of lollipops. “What are these for?”

“Campaigning. Look.” Dean holds up strips of paper that say “Vote for the sweetest couple: Cas and Dean, Class Couple 2018” in some sort of swirly font. “I’m gonna tape them to the sticks. Cool, right?”

“Aaand you don’t feel you’re taking this too far?” Cas asks with a smirk.

“No. Wait’ll you see what _else_ I have planned!”

“Pain in my ass,” Cas mutters with affection. “Hand me the tape.”

On Monday, Cas walks into a colorful array of posters and photos taped onto lockers. He pulls a “Vote Lisa and Matt!” picture off his locker, complete with the happy(ish) couple dancing together at last year’s Junior/Senior Prom. Streamers with several of Zach and Abbie’s photos glued to them are dangling from the ceilings. He hasn’t spotted anything from Garth and Bess. He spies one of the posters Dean made in the hall between two of the science classrooms.

“We need to be more aggressive,” Dean says from behind, startling Cas. Dean hands him a lollipop, which he unwraps and eats despite it being 7:30 in the morning. Behind him, their friends Max, Charlie, and Donna hover with boxes. Dean refills their boxes with pops and sends his minions on their way to do his bidding.

“I see the campaign team is hard at work already,” Cas teases.

“Yeah, we’ve been here since 6:45.”

“Why didn’t you tell me you were coming early? I could’ve helped.”

“Nah. Told you I’d take on the majority of the work. So, Sarah’s gonna take our pictures after school, and I’ll get ‘em printed and photocopied to put up tomorrow. It’s the best we can do. Would’ve done it this weekend if I’d thought other people were gonna put in this much effort.” Dean’s pout is adorable. It’s all he can do to keep himself from pinching his cheeks between his thumb and fingers and kissing it.

“You’re doing fine, Dean. No one else is handing out food, so you have a leg up already.” He points out several students who have white paper sticks jutting out of their mouths. Many of them wave at the two friends. “We probably don’t need pictures. Isn’t the one the yearbook person took enough?”

“Clearly not,” Dean grumbles. “It looks good, though. C‘mere.” He drags Cas to the cafeteria, where photos of students are arranged on large posters according to the category for which they’ve been nominated. Cas looks at the photos of the couples. Garth and Bess are holding hands shyly. Matt and Lisa are hugging and looking at the camera, though they look stiff. Zach and Abbie are also staring intensely at the camera and hugging, though it looks like their hands went to inappropriate places for a school photo (their picture is cut off at the waist and their hands are nowhere to be found). Cas and Dean’s photo, in his opinion, is the best. They’d originally posed themselves side by side, with their arms slung over each other’s shoulders. At the last minute, Dean jumped into his arms and Cas had to catch him under the knees. The yearbook photographer, Becky, snapped lots of photos, but the one she used is the one where they’re looking at each other and laughing as Cas cradles Dean. “See? Told ya it looks good.”

Cas turns to concede and stops upon seeing his friend’s deep green eyes sparkling as he watches Cas. The familiar butterflies dance in his belly. He finally notices that Dean’s arm is draped across his shoulders, which must have happened when he was looking at the photographs. “You did,” he says, mostly to convince himself he’s still capable of speech with Dean that close.

“Yup.” He takes his arm off and Cas struggles not to pull it back on. “See, that’s what I mean. Chemistry. We’re the only ones looking like we’re having a good time together.”

“We were having a good time.”

“Exactly. So, after school. We’ll meet in the parking lot and walk up to the woods or something.”

“If you say so,” Cas acquiesces.

The school is abuzz with energy all day, and though there are plenty of other categories to vote on, it’s Class Couple that Cas hears the most about. Comments from “Epic bromance” to “I _knew_ they were a thing!” to “Two dudes can’t be Class Couple” to “Major UST” (whatever that is) to “The greatest love story ever told” (even he thinks that one is a stretch) reach his ears, and he lets them slide away. He can’t get too invested in this “couple” thing, lest he start to believe it.

After school, Sarah meets them by Dean’s car with her digital camera and a new memory card. The aspiring photographer takes them into the wooded area behind the school and poses them in every romantic pose she can think of, which is both hilarious and a punch to the gut. Cas speaks up.

“Shouldn’t we have some less ‘touchy’ pictures? People are gonna get the wrong idea.”

“It’s fine, Cas. Let ‘em think what they want. It can only help us, right?” Dean asks. “Besides, most of these poses look like they’re straight outta _Zoolander_ or some soap opera magazine.”

Cas smiles wickedly. “How do you know about soap opera magazines, Dean?”

“My mom reads them, shut up,” Dean barks defensively, making Cas laugh all the more for his friend’s embarrassment. It’s nice to level the playing field a little. If Cas has to feel all blushy and self-conscious in Dean’s presence, then Dean should have to as well.

“Your _mom_ , uh huh,” Cas teases as he poses for the next click of the camera.

“It’s true!” Dean argues through a toothy smile.

“Okay, then. Dip,” Cas says just before he sweeps him up in a dancing pose and dips him. Dean isn’t ready for it and they fall to the ground, laughing hysterically.

Sarah laughs and snaps a few more pictures. “I think I have what I need.” She gives the memory card to Dean, who’s going to get them printed while Cas goes to his part-time job at the grocery store (the same one Dean works at, of course, though Cas had the job first). They thank her and walk back to Dean’s car.

“What am I going to find at school tomorrow?” Cas asks.

“Eh, you know, just pictures and stuff,” Dean says. Cas thinks he’s being evasive.

“And stuff?”

“And stuff,” he smiles with that shit-eating grin of his. Cas sighs.

“Be gentle with me,” he jokes as he turns to make his way toward his own car.

“Always, baby!” Dean calls after him. Cas is glad Dean can’t see the heat creep into his face once again at the endearment, even if it is just a joke.

The next day, Cas groans at the photos of them plastered atop purple construction paper hearts. He clearly had a helping hand in doing all of this. That hand waves at him as he strides toward his locker.

“Yo, Cas!” Charlie shouts brightly. “Whaddaya think?”

“I think it’s overkill.”

“Aw, c’mon. You love it.”

“Dean loves it, so whatever.” Cas opens his locker and grabs his book for his first class.

“Hey, did you see his car?”

“His car? No.”

Charlie pulls her phone out and taps her Instagram app. Cas’ mouth gapes open at the photo. Dean’s car — his Baby — has “Dean and Cas for Class Couple 2018” written in white window paint on the back window. He can’t believe he defiled his Baby in any way. “Unbelievable,” Cas mutters.

Dean’s enthusiasm for this campaign is endearing and slightly disturbing. The other couples, specifically Lisa and Matt and Zach and Abbie, are increasing their efforts, so Dean does the same. He adheres stickers with their initials (CN + DW) on everyone’s lockers. He stumps like a politician, talking with groups of kids in the caf about why they should win. He even makes them dress alike for the rest of that week. Cas wears an ugly sweater on Friday just to watch Dean sport a similarly ugly one. Dean does it with a fond smile directed his way, which doesn’t help his crush. He was supposed to be mad about it.

Monday comes around again, as it always does, and Cas knows the competition has been kicked into high gear. Dean comes racing to his side, grabbing him at the wrist and nearly knocking them both over. “Come get some before they’re gone!” he insists.

“Before what’s gone?”

Dean just smiles and tugs him along. They end up in the hall just outside the cafeteria, where a line of students has formed. Charlie, Max and his twin sister Alicia, Benny, Sarah, and Donna are manning two long tables pushed together. A variety of treats is spread along the tables, which look delicious, but it’s the poster above them that gets his attention:

_“Sweet on You” Bake Sale_

_Buy something for your sweetheart or be your own sweetheart!_

_50 cents per treat or $1.00/3_

_All proceeds benefit our local Humane Society, one of Cas’ favorite charities!_

Dean knows that Cas loves animals, and here he is, raising money for the shelter. There’s no mention of the competition, though that’s undoubtedly why he did it. Still, he melts at the gesture. He looks at Dean to thank him, and he meets that look again, the one that makes him forget how to speak.

“Got your favorites,” Dean grins. He gives him a small bag of frosted sugar cookies and a chocolate chip muffin with a thin chocolate heart piercing the top. Cas peers shyly at Dean and mumbles his thanks.

On Tuesday, Cas finds thirteen lavender roses in a cut-glass vase in front of his locker. His heart catches in his throat. Several students see them and soon it’s the talk of the school.

On Wednesday, Cas finds a “thanks for being so awesome” card stuck in his locker door. Charlie, who arrives to meet him and walk together, fusses over the gesture, but it simply leaves Cas confused.

“Why’s he doing all this?” Cas moans. “I know he wants to win, but all this just makes things worse.”

“Worse? Dude, everybody’s talking about you guys! You’re gonna win for sure!”

“Not worse for the competition thing.” He closes his eyes and rolls his forehead on the front of his locker. “For me.”

“Worse for you how?”

Cas sighs. “Do I have to spell it out for you, Charlie?”

Understanding dawns on the redhead’s face. “Oh wow. You like him.”

Cas’ hair rubs against his head as he nods.

“I didn’t even know you were bi.” When he doesn’t move, she asks, “Why don’t you tell him?”

“And mess up our friendship? No thanks.”

“Maybe you’ll be pleasantly surprised?”

“I won’t be surprised, nor will it be pleasant.”

“If it makes you feel better,” a new voice says, “he already knows about your crush on him.” They turn to face Amara, one of their classmates.

“He does?” Cas asks, looking at her doubtfully.

“Yeah. Somebody asked him and he said he knew.”

“How?”

“I don’t know, but it’s kind of obvious, so… maybe he just figured it out?” Amara shrugs.

“Oh” is the only thing Cas can think to say.

“I mean, he was totally nice about it. He still likes you as a friend. It’s just that he doesn’t like you _that_ way.”

“Well, yeah,” Cas says as he fiddles with the straps of his backpack. “I mean, I knew that, so, no big deal.”

“Right! So, uh, were you guys planning to go to the dance together? ‘Cause I was going to ask him if you two hadn’t made plans already.”

He had thought about getting the night off and asking Dean, just as friends, because he knows Dean likes going. Except for a couple of times when one of them had a girlfriend, they’d gone to all the dances together. “Ask away,” he says as he shoulders by her and trudges to his next class in a dour mood.

“So hey, I think we have a chance to win this thing!” Dean says that afternoon at Art Club. Cas simply nods and continues his shading. “Hey, you alright?”

“Fine,” Cas murmurs, hoping he just looks focused and not like he’s about to break down.

“‘Kaaaay,” Dean says, squinting at him. “So, you going to the dance?”

“No.”

“No? Why not?”

“Working.”

“It’s a week away. You could get the time off if you really wanted to.”

“I don’t want to. I’d rather work.”

“Oh.”

Cas knows Dean well enough to hear the disappointment he’s trying to hide, so he looks up. He doesn’t want Dean to feel bad just because Cas does. “I just need the money, that’s all. College. It’s not like this is prom.”

“Yeah. Yeah, I get it. Maybe I should pick up some hours, too.”

“You don’t have to do that because of me. I’m sure lots of girls would go if you asked.”

“Yeah, no, I uh, yeah. I’m gonna see if I can work. Wouldn’t be the same without you.”

At this, Cas huffs. “Dean, I do little more than stand there and talk to you and our friends. I haven’t actually danced at a dance in a long time.”

“My little wallflower,” Dean jokes, chucking him on the chin. Cas draws a long pen stroke on his arm in response, so Dean retaliates with one of his own, and both the conversation and their work are abandoned.

On Thursday, Cas wants to explode. Dean hijacks their lunch period to serenade him with something that he’s heard on his mother’s radio station, a song about people thinking two friends are lovers; the singer suggests the friends give the tongue-waggers “something to talk about.” Dean has no idea how much he’d like that, except that apparently he does. He doesn’t understand why Dean’s trying to kill him. What he wouldn’t give to go back to the stupid photos and posters instead of these romantic gestures directed at him. He knows Dean wants to win, but these sweet things he’s doing, the looks he’s giving him… it’s getting to be too much. Doesn’t he understand how much this hurts Cas?

He’s grateful when Friday finally arrives. This is the last day votes will be accepted. The last day this madness will rule his life. Come 2:00 this afternoon, it’s out of their hands. Over. Things can finally get back to normal with Dean. And he can’t wait.

He walks into a madhouse. Outside, Lisa and Matt are handing out doughnuts. Just inside the doors, Abbie and Zach are pouring coffee and making promises they’ll never be able to keep. Down the hall, Garth and Bess wave at him and smile, not doing anything but hanging out and talking. And in the cafeteria, Dean is holding court atop a table, tossing out Smarties and Hershey’s Kisses and extolling the virtues of a vote in Dean and Cas’ favor. Dean spies him and beckons him on stage. Cas weaves through the large crowd and climbs onto the table.

“Like I’ve been telling you, this guy and I have longevity and chemistry. I dare you to find a better couple than us. We do everything together, we never fight, and we’ve been through thick and thin, and not once have we given up on each other. Hands down, we are the best couple on the ballot, and we deserve your vote!”  
  
Most of the kids cheer and clap.  
  
“Gotta kiss if you want my vote!” someone shouts, and Dean laughs.  
  
“Sure, I’ll kiss him, why not?”  
  
Cas rolls his eyes even as heat flares in his gut and his cheeks. “Dean...”  
  
“Come on, Cas, you know you’d love to kiss this face,” he says, scrunching his face comically. Cas laughs anxiously.  
  
“Don’t be an ass about it,” Cas murmurs as he gives him a small bump to the shoulder.  
  
“It’s not a big deal,” Dean whispers, pulling him close. “We wanna win, right?”  
  
This close to what he wants, it’s hard to say no, but he squeaks, “I’m good, thanks.”  
  
“Okay, okay, fine,” Dean replies, holding his hands up in surrender. He looks hurt, which Cas doesn’t understand. Doesn’t he understand how hard this is for Cas, to have this offered to him? “Just a joke, buddy.”  
  
“Not a funny one.”  
  
“Gee, I’m sorry it would be so painful to kiss me,” he grumbles as he rolls his eyes and crosses his arms.  
  
“Well of course it would be!” Cas yells, his breaking point reached. “Do you think it would be easy for you if I kissed you as a ‘joke’ if _you_ had a crush on _me_? I know you wanna win but that’s just mean and insensitive to my feelings.”  
  
“Crush? What the hell are you talking about?”  
  
“I know you know, Dean, and it’s... whatever, but...”  
  
“Know what?”  
  
“That I like you!”  
  
Dean squints. Cas exhales harshly.  
  
“Amara said that someone asked you about it and you said you knew but you didn’t like me that way, which, fine, but you don’t have to exploit that knowledge just to...”  
  
“Amara’s a fucking liar! No one asked me about that!”  
  
Cas swears he can feel his pulse thrumming against his shirt collar. “They didn’t?”  
  
“No!”  
  
“Oh.” A raw, searing embarrassment replaces the anger in the pit of his stomach. He wants to hurl. “I... okay.” He turns and jumps off the table.  
  
“Cas... Cas, wait!” Dean yells behind him, but he slams through the cafeteria doors just as the bell rings and the halls flood with students rushing to their first class.  
  
Cas hides for a time in the janitor’s closet (he thanks Gabe silently for the lock picking lessons). He stares into space for a while, then reads the labels on the cleaning products. He looks at his phone. Two hours have gone by. He’s never skipped class before, and now he’s missed two. He’ll miss the rest of them too, he decides. It’s Friday, it’s his senior year, and it’s been a horrible day, so fuck it.  
  
He tries not to think about talking to Dean, though he knows he’ll have to. He can’t avoid him forever. He doesn’t even want to, really, he just... can’t right now. He doesn’t want to stop being friends or anything, and he knows Dean will be cool about the whole thing. Probably. He hopes. He’ll probably tease the hell out of Cas, which will be okay, he supposes. Dean’s teasing is never malicious. And eventually, over time, he’ll get over his crush. Probably.

He’s grateful he packed his lunch today, though mixed with the smells of bleach and dirty mops it’s not nearly as appealing. He eats it anyway. When he’s certain that all lunch periods have ended and everyone’s back in class, he eases his way quietly out of the closet (unlike his earlier coming out of the closet, which was more of a fiery explosion, with many classmates and his crush as witnesses) and sneaks out the back toward his car. He’s hopeful he can escape unseen. He does. But his luck runs out when he arrives home.

“Dean,” he sighs when Dean greets him in his living room. He studiously avoids his eyes.

His best friend unfolds his long-limbed body from the couch. “Knew you’d have to come home eventually.”

“Used the hidden key?”

“‘Course.”

“I should’ve known.” He lets his backpack fall to the floor from his shoulder. “Where’s your car?” he asks as he turns to hang his coat.

“Parked on the next street over so you wouldn’t get scared off.” He flashes a shy, proud grin that Cas catches in his periphery and Cas can’t help but smile too.

“Smart. Did you eat already?”

“Yeah. Been here since after first period when I found out you cut class. Figured you might’ve headed here. Took you long enough.”

Cas shrugs. “Didn’t really feel like dealing with anyone. Hid in the janitor’s closet for a while.”

“Could’ve gone for a ride or something.”

“That’s your thing.”

“Yeah.” Dean shifts from foot to foot. “So.”

“So.”

“Can’t believe you believed Amara, of all people.”

“She was very convincing.”

“Yeah. She usually is.” Dean tucks his hands in his pockets. Cas stares at his shoelaces, worrying his lip between his teeth. The clock on the mantel ticks. Cas isn’t sure he’s ever noticed it before.

“Feels weird to be so awkward around you,” Dean says.

Cas’ mouth quirks into a brief, sad smile. “Yeah.”

Dean reaches out as if to touch his arm, but stops and lets his hand drop. “I swear I didn’t know.”

“I believe you.” He sniffs and crosses his arms around himself.

They fall into silence again. Cas taps his heel against the scratched wood floor. Dean scans the room, his eyes not resting on anything for very long.

“So. Um. You’re bi,” Dean says.

“Yup.”

“Me too.”

For the first time since that morning, Cas looks at Dean’s face. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

“Huh. I had no idea. Cool.”

“Yeah. You too.”

“Yeah.” He taps his toes instead of his heel now and tips his head to watch a tiny spider skitter across the floor. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. It’s just, I figured you would’ve asked me how I knew and… well. But you know now, so.”

“Wasn’t because you didn’t trust me?”

“No, of course not.”

“Alright.”

Cas licks his lips and sighs. “Sorry I blew the whole Class Couple thing.”

“Nah, it’s cool. It doesn’t matter.”

“I know you wanted to win…”

“No, I just wanted your attention.”

Cas looks up at him with a frown. “You always have my attention. We hang out all the time.”

“Yeah, but… I mean, I wanted it in a different way, you know?”

“Um, noooo? I don’t know what you mean.”

“I mean…” Dean sighs and sits on the thick, floral-and-paisley-patterned couch. He pats the space next to him. Cas shuffles to the spot and sits. “I just… we’ve been friends for so long. When this Class Couple thing came up I thought, ‘yeah, this might work,’ you know?”

“I… no, I still don’t know.”

“I thought it would be a good way for me to, I don’t know, feel things out. See if you could see us as a couple rather than friends.”

“Why?”

Dean presses his lips together in a bashful smile. “I… I like you, too. Have for a while. But I didn’t… I didn’t know, you know, how you’d feel about all that.”

“Guess you have your answer,” Cas says. He twists his hands in his lap and offers his best friend a bashful smile of his own. He watches, fascinated, as the sparkle he adores returns to Dean’s eyes. “So, the Class Couple thing?” he asks. He doesn’t really need to know anymore, but the conversation keeps him from floating away or giggling like a preteen because _oh my gosh I like him and he likes me back!_

“Yeah. So the couple thing came up and I figured we could go for it, and you didn’t get all grossed out or offended so I figured that was a win. The first week was fun and you didn’t run away screaming or anything, so I figured I’d try to be more personal, you know? The flowers and the song and stuff. I started with the fundraising thing because I thought it’d be cool and you’d like it, and if you didn’t freak out then I’d do more. You loved it, and you just looked at me like… I don’t know, you had this glowy look in your eyes and it was directed at me and I wanted to see it again.” He rubs the back of his neck, which Cas knows is a nervous habit. He bumps his knee against Dean’s. It’s enough for Dean to take a breath and continue.

“So I tried the flowers and you seemed to like ‘em, so I got you the card ‘cause, you know, you’re awesome and you put up with a lot of my shit, and I saw that you taped it to the inside of your locker. So I did the song thing on Thursday, tryin’ to, you know, see what you’d think. And you got all shy and cute but also kind of weird, and I wasn’t sure. I was gonna do this big thing to ask you to the dance, but I decided I’d just talk to you instead ‘cause I didn’t want to scare you, so I figured I’d talk to you after school. And then, well, you know the rest.”

“So you really do like me?” Cas asks with cautious optimism.

“Yeah man,” he answers. “That’s what I was trying to tell you with all that stuff.”

“I thought you were just trying to make people think there was something between us to boost our chances.”

Dean sighs. “Well, shit. Yeah, I can see why you might think that. Thought I was being romantic, but I guess I was just being a dumbass.”

“We both were, I guess.” Cas nudges Dean with his shoulder, and Dean responds with a gentle bump, temple to temple. “So, what now?”

Dean rests his head on Cas’ shoulder and peers up at him. “You wanna go to the dance with me?”

“I do, but I really am scheduled to work,” Cas says. He wishes he wasn’t. “I can try to get someone to swap with me…”

“Nah, it’s all good. You don’t really like the dances anyway. I know you just go because I go.” Cas chuckles but doesn’t deny it. “How about dinner and a movie? That’s date stuff, right?”

“You want to take me out?”

“‘Course I do. That was the point of all this.”

Cas smiles. He kisses his forehead without thinking, and that look that makes him weak lights up Dean’s face. He understands that look very differently now. Dean’s eyes widen as he keeps his gaze steady on Cas and slowly sits up, then leans in. Unlike this morning, neither of them is hiding their feelings or pretending the kiss they’re about to share is a joke. Cas’ eyes slip closed as their lips slip open and meet. He twines the fingers of his left hand with Dean’s right while his free hand rests behind Dean’s head. It’s a perfect first kiss, soft and vulnerable and exciting and, blessedly, without an audience.

“Be my boyfriend?” Dean asks when they part.

The second kiss is as perfect as the first.

Everything from their campaign goes in the trash save for two purple paper hearts with their photos, which go in their lockers, and two of the stickers, which they affix to each other’s notebooks. They walk hand-in-hand down the halls and kiss goodbye at classroom doors. They don’t make it to the next dance. They date and work and study and receive their college acceptances. They go to prom because it would be a shame to miss it, but leave early and hang out at a diner with their friends. And in May, shortly before graduation, they open up their yearbooks and see who won Class Couple.

“Would you look at that?” Cas smiles as he shows Dean.

Dean looks and smiles, then closes the book and takes Cas in his arms, which is Cas’ favorite place to be. “Love you,” Dean says, the words still new yet so easy because they’re true.

“Love you,” Cas says in return. He kisses Dean soundly and revels in the feeling. It doesn’t matter if they won Class Couple or not, because to Cas (and Dean, too), they already won.  

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you, as always, for reading! <3
> 
> The song Dean sings is “Something to Talk About” by Bonnie Raitt.


End file.
